Representing the Oromo Peoples’ Democratic Organization (OPDO), his initial “Abiy-mania” phase was defined by radical reforms: freeing political prisoners, unblocking media outlets, and appointing a gender-balanced cabinet.
Born on August 15, 1976, in Beshasha, Abiy Ahmed Ali rose from a background in military intelligence (reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel) to become the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2018.
The turning point in Abiy’s legacy is often cited as the transition from a democratic reformer to a centralized nationalist. To consolidate power, he dissolved the ruling EPRDF coalition to form the Prosperity Party, a move that alienated regional powerhouses, most notably the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
and The darkest chapter of his tenure began in November 2020. What Abiy termed a “Law Enforcement Operation” spiraled into a devastating civil war. Under his leadership, the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), alongside Eritrean allies, was accused by international bodies (UN, Human Rights Watch) of:
Systemic Human Rights Abuses Include extrajudicial killings and the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
The “Starvation Strategy” which is A blockade on the Tigray region that led to man-made famine conditions for hundreds of thousands.
While Abiy won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for ending the 20-year stalemate with Eritrea, that same alliance later became a mechanism for internal warfare. His foreign policy has since been characterized by high-stakes friction:
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) remains a flashpoint.
Abiy’s uncompromising stance on filling the dam without a binding agreement has severely strained ties with Cairo and Khartoum, raising fears of “water wars” in the Nile Basin.
Recently, his Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland to gain sea access has ignited a diplomatic firestorm, with Somalia accusing him of violating its sovereignty, further destabilizing the Horn of Africa.
Ethnic Fragmentation: Despite his “Medemer” (synergy) philosophy, ethnic violence has surged in the Amhara and Oromia regions.
Economic Crisis: Once one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Ethiopia under Abiy has faced skyrocketing inflation and became the first African nation in the post-COVID era to default on its international debt (December 2023).
